NASCAR’s Sprint All-Star race is different than any other all-star event in professional sports.

The race has no bearing on the regular season or playoffs—like most other sports—but it does pay to win.

To the tune of $1 million.

That’s what makes it both unique and, typically, wild.

“Anytime they put that much money in front of anybody it’s going to cause things to rise to another level,” says Kevin Harvick, the 2007 winner. “Take the points away from that and you really have some unique scenarios that have come up over the past several years. It’s always fun when you know there is really nothing on the line but to win.”

“You have to be just a guy that puts it all on the line. Nowadays, more than ever, teams pretty much take disposable cars that they know there's a good chance it's not going to come back.

“The driver's mentality is that it's all for money, so there's nothing to lose.”

What to Watch

1. A start as wild as the end

The final, 10-lap shootout is the key to winning the All-Star Race and the $1 million prize.

But this year, winning one of the first four segments could wind up being just as important. The winners of the four 20-lap segments will get to pit first just before the 10-lap shootout, with the winner of the first segment entering pit road first, etc. That means those four drivers have the best chance of lining up at the front of the field for the final restart.

Winning the first segment could be a huge advantage. It not only earns that driver the lead position when the field comes down pit road the final time, but he can essentially cool it in the next three segments, saving his car and devising a strategy for the final shootout.

2. The Sprint Showdown

There are usually some big names in the preliminary race, but this year’s 40-lap event features two of the hottest drivers this year—Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Martin Truex Jr.

Earnhardt is third in the standings after 11 races while Truex is sixth. Though neither has won a race this year, they both have run well enough to win. The Showdown presents their best opportunity yet.

Both drivers also will be in the running for the fan vote into the All-Star Race, with Earnhardt, NASCAR’s most popular driver, being a heavy favorite.

Favorites

Greg Biffle: The All-Star Race is often won by the driver who is hottest entering the event, and no one has been better in the first 11 races than Biffle, who has led the standing the past nine races. Biffle won at Texas—a similar track—and excels on short runs and in shootouts.

Tony Stewart: The defending Cup champion continues to shine on big, downforce tracks with wins at Las Vegas and California and a third-place finish last week at Darlington. And as he showed last week, no one is better at rising to the occasion in big events.

Denny Hamlin: Hamlin has never won the All-Star Race, but has been on his game of late. He has two wins this season (Phoenix, Kansas) and finished second last week at Darlington. An All-Star win could be another big step for Hamlin and new crew chief Darian Grubb.

Kyle Busch: It’s surprising that NASCAR’s most aggressive driver—and one of its most talented—has never won the marquee event. This should be Busch’s kind of race, and he’s hot, entering this year’s event with a win and three top-five finishes in his last three races.

By The Numbers

19: Different winners of the All-Star Race, including eight in the last eight years.

22: Number of All-Star Race starts for Mark Martin, more than any other driver.

Previous Winners

2011: Carl Edwards

2010: Kurt Busch

2009: Tony Stewart

2008: Kasey Kahne

2007: Kevin Harvick

2006: Jimmie Johnson

2005: Mark Martin

2004: Matt Kenseth

2003: Jimmie Johnson

2002: Ryan Newman

2001: Jeff Gordon

2000: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

1999: Terry Labonte

1998: Mark Martin

1997: Jeff Gordon

1996: Michael Waltrip

1995: Jeff Gordon

1994: Geoff Bodine

1993: Dale Earnhardt

1992: Davey Allison

1991: Davey Allison

1990: Dale Earnhardt

1989: Rusty Wallace

1988: Terry Labonte

1987: Dale Earnhardt

1986: Bill Elliott

1985: Darrell Waltrip

Nationwide Series

Race: Pioneer Hi-Bred 250

Track: Iowa Speedway

Last year’s winner: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Fast facts: This is the week for Nationwide Series regulars to shine, as only one full-time Sprint Cup driver is in the field—Kurt Busch will drive for his brother Kyle’s team. … Ricky Stenhouse Jr. opened up a 23-point lead in the standings when Elliott Sadler was involved in a wreck last week at Darlington. … Danica Patrick will have her full focus on the race at Iowa this week, skipping the Sprint Showdown and All-Star Race festivities at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Favorites

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: The defending champion and current points leader is the overwhelming favorite after winning both races at Iowa last year.

Elliott Sadler: Sadler will be desperate to make up some ground on Stenhouse after getting wrecked while leading last week. Sadler finished third and fifth in the two races at Iowa last year.

Kurt Busch: Busch already has won one Nationwide race for his little brother this year, and that came at Richmond, the track from which Iowa Speedway was modeled.

Camping World Truck Series

Race: North Carolina Education Lottery 200

Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway

Last year’s winner: Kyle Busch

Fast facts: This is just the fifth race of the season, with the first four being won by John King, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne and James Buescher. … This year’s race is wide open since Kyle Busch, who has four truck wins at Charlotte, including the last two, is not in the race. … Timothy Peters leads the points standings with top-five finishes in all four races. Buescher is second. … Two Sprint Cup drivers are entered in the race—Brad Keselowski with his own team and David Reutimann with RAB Racing.

Favorites

James Buescher: Buescher won the last truck race, at Kansas, and finished fourth last year at Charlotte. Also, Turner Motorsports has won two of the four truck races this year.

Nelson Piquet Jr.: Piquet also drives for Turner and has been fast all year, leading 122 laps, more than any series regular. He won the pole at Rockingham.

Ron Hornaday Jr.: The four-time champion has not been as competitive this season after the shutdown of Kevin Harvick Inc., but he has two career wins at Charlotte and was the last series regular to win there (2009).